Spirit Pump Bearing Fault Detected Early
Remote vibration monitoring identified early bearing deterioration and allowed maintenance before failure
Food & beverageProducts used
Machine Sentry Fixed MSF2
The Challenge
A leading beverage manufacturing site in the required an advanced reliability strategy to comply with safety standards and minimise unplanned downtime. The site operates under COMAH-equivalent regulations, where hazardous material handling mandates a robust predictive maintenance program for critical equipment.
As part of a wider condition-based maintenance rollout, the client engaged AVT Reliability® to implement a remote vibration monitoring solution across several high-priority spirit pumps.
Our Findings
Just three months after deployment, the AVT Reliability® Remote Diagnostic Center detected early-stage bearing deterioration on Spirit Pump No. 1. Vibration trends showed a consistent increase in acceleration, supported by Time Waveform (TWF) and spectral data that suggested impacting typically associated with bearing faults.
While specific bearing model information was not initially available, the pattern clearly indicated progressive mechanical degradation.
The Solution
Based on the trend analysis, AVT recommended a proactive bearing replacement. The client’s on-site maintenance team carried out the change and immediately noted smoother shaft rotation post-repair.
Trend data captured before and after the intervention showed a marked improvement in vibration levels, confirming the fault was successfully resolved.
Follow-Up
Though the defective bearing was not available for physical inspection, the monitored performance metrics confirmed the root cause and effectiveness of the fix.
This incident highlighted the value of remote condition monitoring in catching early-stage faults before they evolve into critical failures. The client has continued to invest in AVT’s predictive maintenance technology across additional assets.
"AVT Reliability® has helped us avoid costly unplanned downtime and maintain the reliability of our most critical assets. Their proactive insights allow us to take action before issues become failures."
AVT Reliability Engineer
